Back in the Bay of Islands

Just a quick hop across the Tasman and hey! We're back in New Zealand! It almost felt like coming home, but the homecoming was tarnished by long queues through the something to declare queue due to muddy shoes...
An uber into Auckland and Ewen and Antonia's flat, slap bang in the centre. Toni very kindly russled up some yummy pasta then we had a wander round the corner to the harbour front and a million works Christmas parties!
Ewen returned from work at some ungodly hour but we were ready to hit the road in the ever reliable Bev ( car) by 8am😳.
Heading North , Toni had spied a brilliant local market in Matakana, well worth the detour,and I had spotted some famous toilets in Kawakawa, also worth a ( smaller) detour. If you are in to toilets. Or the architect, Hundertwasser. I am one of those, I'll let you decide which.
This was all a pre-amble to a return to Russell, in the Bay of Islands, where we lived and worked for a few months in 2011.
It was great for at least 3 of us to wander the streets, past the old school, old medical practice and old house- all within 100yds of each other. The place looked just as quaint, just as lovely, as we remembered. A swim at the town beach in memory of regattas past, and walked the route of the famous flagstaff hill race where I pushed past crowds of barefoot 12 yr olds to storm to victory.
The next day we drove the long and winding road to Rawhiti ( aren't all roads here long and winding?) to pick up a water taxi out to Deep Water Cove. This allowed us to take 10k off the Cape Brett Trail , making it feasible as a out and back day walk. Or so we thought.
The route was amazing , snaking through the bush to the ridge line which it then sinuously followed out to the lighthouse with views out to the hole- in- the-rock rock. Spectacular. Then we reversed the route. By the time were back where we started we were beginning to realise we'd underestimated the hardness of the trail- relentless up/ down , up / down and overestimated our meagre rations. We still had another 10k to go. Although Tonis amazing homemade muffins and 100% renewable-electricity-made wriggly worms got us through the feared 3rd quarter and and home, we got to rationing the water to the sip and googling can you drink nz stream water (and other things)
A cheeky little not- ok diversion at the end across Oki beach threw in a do or die race against the waves. Result: 3-1 to the sea.
However, as is always the way (think lake matiri hut and many others) and through the perspective of a nice dinner and a beer or two it all seemed like a jolly good adventure later.Read more